Health literacy in hypertensive patients and adults without hypertension

Abstract

Health literacy plays a pivotal role in the management of chronic disease and access to health care. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare health literacy levels between adults with and without arterial hypertension. The research protocol included a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Health Literacy Survey in Portugal. The sample of this cross-sectional survey consisted of 152 participants, 76 of whom had hypertension and 76 without chronic disease, age between 35 and 65 years. Individuals without chronic disease had higher levels of health literacy in the dimension of disease prevention and health promotion and participants with hypertension in the dimension of health care. Older individuals and less educated individuals were identified as vulnerable groups with problematic levels of health literacy. This study contributed to highlight the importance of adequate health literacy to increase knowledge and understanding about disease and its complications.